Forum brainstorms better links between schools, businesses

Seeking to build bridges between the educational system and business, the Global Learning Charter Public School hosted a brainstorming session on what those bridges might look like in 2020.

Seeking to build bridges between the educational system and business, the Global Learning Charter Public School hosted a brainstorming session on what those bridges might look like in 2020.

About 75 business leaders, educators and students shared ideas at the school's 6th Annual Business-Education Forum at Buttonwood Park Zoo on Friday.

"This about learning what you want, what you want," said Global Learning Executive Director Stephen Furtado. "We want to find out from you folks what you need us to do as a school to prepare students for the workplace."

But Furtado also made it clear that business leaders need to hear what students want and need and what they think they can contribute.

Among the ideas tossed around at the forum were increasing opportunities for internships and mentorships, providing more specialized educational outlets to train workers in specific skills and creating an "idea lab" to, in the words of student Trevor Chandler, "bring all ideas together and try to make things possible."